PG and the coming year

[mwalimu]

Give Pro a fair shake for the month. If your scores are about the same (+14), the level change to Amature will most likely occur.

Good luck, and learn as much as you can.

You do know that you can practice the exact conditions and pins of each tournament? I just set up R1 of the Divisions for myself to practice.

Did my second Tournament round a bit ago. Was +9 after 5 holes but managed to par out the rest. That said, from what I see on the Tier Movements threads, unless my average drops all the way to +8 on 18 holes (+4 on 9) I'll probably be eligible, and I doubt I'll improve that much.

Is there a way to replicate the exact wind conditions and pin positions for a tournament round? I know how to replicate everything else in the weather settings and game setup screens.

[JMK59]

If you look at the course/conditions button, the wind speed and sometimes the wind direction are listed.

To set up a practice round - use the Ladders tab at the top and select Create a Game. Pick the course, set to Solo Round, and dial in the conditions. Click the Add Game button at the bottom, then Make Active button.

[JMK59]

I see you're playing now. I could send you an invite to play a round with me as I practice the Divisions at Southport Links. Yes?

I show up as JMK59

[mwalimu]

I see you're playing now. I could send you an invite to play a round with me as I practice the Divisions at Southport Links. Yes?

I show up as JMK59

I saw that but was in the middle of another tournament round (which reinforced that "bogey golf" seems to be about my skill level at this time, at least at Pro level).

CreateAGame didn't have "The Divisions" as one of the game types. I see how it could be used to set all of the pin positions and wind conditions if one wished to painstakingly copy them all from the the Course/Conditions page for that tournament, but it seems more trouble than it's worth if the rest of the elements are close enough for a practice round and you're willing to handle those two on the fly during the actual tournament round.

[JMK59]

We can try playing a round together another time.

[tanman05851]

I see you're playing now. I could send you an invite to play a round with me as I practice the Divisions at Southport Links. Yes?

I show up as JMK59

I saw that but was in the middle of another tournament round (which reinforced that "bogey golf" seems to be about my skill level at this time, at least at Pro level).

CreateAGame didn't have "The Divisions" as one of the game types. I see how it could be used to set all of the pin positions and wind conditions if one wished to painstakingly copy them all from the the Course/Conditions page for that tournament, but it seems more trouble than it's worth if the rest of the elements are close enough for a practice round and you're willing to handle those two on the fly during the actual tournament round.

Obviously you can do what you want but I find "create a game " an easy and quick(maybe 60 seconds tops) way to set up a practice round.
The wind direction and pin location can make all the difference in the world how you play a hole.
If you set up create a game you are looking for solo 9-not divisions.
I use the "shot shaper" (my name for it) mainly on doglegs.I have to be feeling pretty confident about hitting the snap though.

[mwalimu]

More rounds, still struggling to get to "bogey golf" level at least somewhat consistently, now worrying that the admin here will think I'm "throwing" rounds to get to Amateur.

[JMK59]

It will be obvious if you do. Give it a fair shot. You'll naturally gravitate to the level you belong at. Keep plugging away.

[mwalimu]

It will be obvious if you do. Give it a fair shot. You'll naturally gravitate to the level you belong at. Keep plugging away.

I did... thanks for the encouragement. My scores improved quite a bit over the month compared to some of my earliest (disastrous) rounds, but I've still got a ways to go.

At least now I can play at Amateur level, like I wanted to in the first place, and frankly I'm still rather peeved that I was forced to play at Pro level for a month. Maybe someday I'll move back to Pro, but at least by then I'll be good enough to play a respectable game at that level.

A couple of random thoughts that came along the way:

• While viewing the leaderboard for a tourney: "My score is the same as the leader, and it took me only three rounds."
• "Fairways are nice. I should try to use them more often."

[Mwh65]

At least now I can play at Amateur level, like I wanted to in the first place, and frankly I'm still rather peeved that I was forced to play at Pro level for a month

New players are not forced to play at the default level of Pro. The PM you would of received when joining PGLS clearly states that as a new player you can change this.